Name: ________________________________ Date:______________ Page #:__________
Unit 3 - The Biosphere Notes
Ecology - the study of _______________________ Biotic Factors - living things in the environment that
between organisms and the environment affect one another
Biosphere - all the parts of earth where __________ Example:
exists
__________________________ - all members of a ____________________ Factors - nonliving parts of
species living in an area. the environment that affect organisms.
__________________________- all the populations Example:
in an area
Levels of Organization:
Models help us understand interacting elements of
_________________________ - living and nonliving the:
factors
- __________________sphere (air)
__________________________ - large areas with
- __________________sphere (life)
certain climates (grassland)
- __________________sphere (water)
__________________________ - part of earth that
- __________________sphere (rocks)
supports life
Ecologists attempt to solve real-world problems
related to the environment. Climate and Weather (3.2)
Suggest another problem or issue that ecologists
might study: _______________________ - day-to-day conditions
at a particular place and time
_______________________ - average, year-after-
year conditions in a region
Gathering Ecological Data
Three main climate zones:
1. Observations
● ____________________ = cold areas
Examples: ● ____________________ = hot / cold seasons
2. Experimentation ● ____________________ = always warm
Examples:
3. Modeling
Examples:
Ecology in the Field (Field Biology)
How do termites contribute to the resilience of the
ecosystem?
Biomes
Greenhouse Effect
Solar energy hits the earth and is trapped by
greenhouse gasses - CO2, water, methane. Without
this effect, earth would be much colder.
Why do we have seasons?
Analyzing Biomes
Biomes - Environments which have same climate &
dominant communities 4) Temperate Grassland (plains and prairies)
Analyzing Biomes (See handout) - Midwest, very fertile soil
- 4 seasons, seasonal precipitation
Grassland Animals:
1) Tropical Rainforest
What happens to biodiversity when grasslands are
- Has most species (biodiversity) converted to farmlands?
- Canopy = top
- Understory = lower
- Hot and wet year round; poor soil 5) Chaparral - shrubs, frequent fires
Animals: Location:
2) Savanna (Tropical grassland) 6) Temperate Deciduous Forest
- Africa - Deciduous trees
- Grassland with few trees - 4 seasons / seasonal rainfall
- Large animal herds / fires
Forest Animals:
Animals:
7) Boreal Forest (Taiga)
3) Desert
- North U.S., Canada
- Nevada, North Africa - Evergreen forests
- Dry (less than 25 cm rainfall) - Cold, long winters / Short, mild summers
- Extreme temperatures
- Cacti / succulent plants Taiga Animals:
- Organisms tolerant to extreme temperatures
8) Tundra
Desert mammals:
- Permafrost
- Strong winds, no trees, small plants
Tundra Animals:
9) Polar Ice Caps (Arctic) 11) Freshwater Ecosystems
- Too cold and dry for plants - Rivers and streams
- Algae are the producers for the system - Lakes and ponds
- Wetlands (swamps)
Polar Animals:
Freshwater Animals:
10) Marine Ecosystems
12) Estuary
- Photic zone - top area, sunlight
- Aphotic zone - lower, dark - Where freshwater meets the sea
- Spawning areas for fish
Plankton - microscopic organisms - Commercial importance
Marine Animals: Estuary Animals:
Color the North American Biomes (on the next page)
Color the map according to the clues listed below. Place a check mark in the box once you have completed that step.
1. The dotted lines represent the border between the U.S. and Mexico and Canada. All other lines show biome borders. Color the U.S.
borders (dotted line) red.
2. Northern Canada and Alaska are tundra - color the tundra light blue
3. Most of Canada is coniferous forest, also called a boreal forest or taiga. Color the coniferous forest dark green.
4. The west coast of the U.S. (California) is temperate deciduous forest. The east coast, all the way to the center of the country, is
also temperate deciduous forest. Color both areas light green.
5. The Midwest (middle of the country) is temperate grassland, also known as the prairie. Color the grassland yellow.
6. The eastern edge of Mexico and Central America, Hawaii, and the Caribbean Islands are all tropical rainforests. Color those areas
purple.
7. There is a temperate rainforest located in the far corner of the U.S (northwest). Color the temperate rainforest brown.
8. The great lakes and the lakes in Canada are freshwater. Find each freshwater lake and color it pink.
9. The bodies of water surrounding the continent are ocean. Color the coastal areas dark blue.
10. The western region of the U.S. as well as Northern Mexico is desert. Color the desert orange.
11. The western edge of Mexico is temperate deciduous forest. Color it the same color as you did the other temperate forests.
12. Color code the squares at the bottom to match your biome colors.
13. Label the countries: U.S.A., Canada, Mexico
1. Name the 3 main biomes of the United States (land only).
2. What two biomes are closest to where you live? Place an X on the map to show your approximate location.
3. What U.S. state could a person visit a tropical rain forest in? What state could you visit a desert?
4. What are two other names for a coniferous forest?
5. Point out Alaska by drawing an arrow to it. What biome is found in Alaska? What animals would you likely
find in this area?
6. If you traveled due north from your current location, what biomes would you pass through (just going to the
north pole)?
7. A person is driving from Los Angeles, California to Washington D.C. Name the biomes the person will pass
through, in the correct order.
8. What part of North America is dominated by temperate deciduous forest?
The following graphic shows a simplified version of biomes found across the world. (on the next page)
* Use the same colors as you did on the U.S.A. map to color the world map!
